Which of the following best describes the fusing in a fused disconnect switch?

• A. The neutral is fused
• B. The ground is fused
• C. Neither is fused
• D. Both are fused

Answer: (C)

Fuses are placed to interrupt current in the conductor that actually carries the fault—the hot line. In a fused disconnect switch, the protection is applied to the hot conductor(s) so that if overcurrent occurs, the fuse opens and stops the supply. The neutral is not fused because it is the return path back to the source and is typically bonded at the service; fusing it could leave energized parts and create shock hazards. The grounding conductor is a safety path to earth and normally carries no normal current, so it is not fused either. For these reasons, in a standard fused disconnect switch, neither the neutral nor the ground is fused.